CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS (CDA), APPROACHES AND THEORIESÂ ENGLISH AND LINGUISTIC PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS
Abstract
The study examines the discipline of discourse analysis with a focus on critical discourse analysis (CDA) as an aspect of discourse studies. The methodology is a descriptive/library research. Findings reveal that critical discourse analysis is an aspect of discourse analysis that focuses on three major issues of ideology, power and institution. While dialectal-relational approach, socio-cognitive discourse, and discourse historical approach are some of the principles of CDA; dispositive analysis, critical social theory, socio-psychological theory, corpus-linguistics approach, and social actors approach are some of the theories of CDA, and both principles and theories are interrelated.
- Introduction
Language is a phenomenon which is related to our social and cognitive development right from our childhood and plays a very crucial role in the formation of our identity. Whatever we say always contains some meaning and represents our perception toward a certain thing or phenomenon. Language plays a very important role because every action particularly a political action is accompanied and in fact influenced and played by the language we use. We have always got a particular way of understanding and perceiving language. And the way we perceive language builds the foundation of our social construction and individual as well as group relationships. And some branches of linguistics, like discourse studies and cognitive linguistics, have tried to explain what kind of relationship is there between the use of language and importance of perception. Because the way we make use of language tells our intention toward any important issue either political or social.
Discourse either spoken or written can emerge from many sources like cultural, social or power background. Language always has its surface and real meanings and surface meanings differ from that of real meanings, and it is in fact one of the aims of discourse to show how language is working and what context it is being used in. according to Yalden, “..Using a language involves something that goes beyond the acquisition of structures and the ability to make appropriate choices in the realization of the particular language functions.” (39).
Every language finds its ways in discourse and in order to understand a speech or a text it becomes necessary to get into the depth of that very spoken or written text and go for the context of it; because unless the text is seen as having more than surface meanings, it would not be easy to get the real meaning and understand the motive and intention of the speaker. Discourse always intends to bring forth the context of what is said to light which may otherwise not be transparent enough to a reader and listener. These underlying meanings are interpreted to expose issues of dominance, inequality and power relations between the interlocutors. This becomes the purview of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). This study examines discourse analysis, critical discourse analysis, principles of CDA and the theories of CDA.
